by Matt Lau

Created on: January 05, 2008

A brief history of the Vietnam war

North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam (our ally). President Kennedy (D) sends US troops to War, with the support of the New York Times and the Washington Post. US troops begin dying. The New York Times and the Washington Post declare the Vietnam War unwinnable.

President Johnson (D) inherits the war from Kennedy after he is assassinated. Johnson, because of "moral qualms" refused to pursue victory in Vietnam despite advice from the military that the war is winnable with sufficient force.

President Nixon (R) is elected, promising to end the war. Nixon withdrew over 500,000 troops from Vietnam, leaving behind a 20,000 troop force and cut spending on the war by over 80%. Nixon's strategy: bomb targets in the north based on their strategic importance (a strategy known as "common sense"). In January 1973, a truce is negotiated between Hanoi and Saigon, the Paris Peace Accords. The war was over and South Vietnam (our ally) would be safe as long as the agreement is kept. If North Vietnam invades South Vietnam (our ally), the US will give military and economic aid to South Vietnam (our ally) and resume bombing of the north.

In August 1973, using outrage over Watergate as cover, the Democrat-controlled Congress decided that the president must get Congressional approval before resuming bombing. North Vietnam invades South Vietnam (our ally) within a matter of months. Because of Congress refusing to send military or even humanitarian aid to South Vietnam (our ally) by 1975 Saigon was captured.

By abandoning South Vietnam (our ally), Communist forces were allowed to overtake Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. 2 million Cambodians were killed, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese were imprisoned, 10% of the population of Laos fled their home country. Since the Communists took control, two million Vietnamese have tried to flee their country.

So now, once again, we have a Republican president and a Democrat-controlled Congress. We have the nation of Iraq, which has a brand new, self-elected government after living under a murderous, psychopathic dictator (currently deceased) who used chemical weapons to attack not just Iran but also his own subjects. The Iraqi prime minister has asked the US for help fighting the insurgents. But, because Democrats hate Bush, they will oppose every war effort to protect Iraq.

Here's my prediction: A Democrat-controlled Congress will withdraw all US troops, then refuse to send any military or humanitarian aid to Iraq. Within two years Iran will overtake Iraq and kill 10% of the Iraqi population (currently about 27 million). Through the acquisition of Iraq, Iran will double its economic and military might, quadruple the number of terrorists worldwide, and the next time there is a terrorist attack on US soil it will be nuclear in nature. Then the Democrats will blame Bush for not going further when he invaded Iraq.

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